A Look at the Cream City Gardens

Steven Armus

After decades of work as a physician and dermatologist, Steven Armus began restoring prairie landscapes as the owner of Native Prairie Restoration in Wisconsin. Although he still serves as the owner of the Dermatology Consultants of Wisconsin, Steven Armus also finds time to regularly volunteer at the Guest House of Milwaukee.

Founded in 1981, the Guest House of Milwaukee provides services and shelter programs to at-risk individuals. In addition to its core service offerings, which include community housing and counseling, the organization maintains a community garden known as Cream City Gardens.

An urban garden initiative, Cream City Gardens produces fresh produce for the Guest House of Milwaukee as well as food pantries and local residents. The gardens, which make use of vacant lots for farmland, provide more than 4,000 pounds of produce each year, ranging from watermelon and kale to eggplant and potatoes. Moreover, a rainwater-harvesting pavilion collects up to 500 gallons of rainwater during each rain event, which is subsequently used to water plants. For additional information on the gardens, visit www.guesthouseofmilwaukee.org.